My method is a little different from Michelle's, and both will work just fine!

I cut 8 different fabrics into "chunks" about 6" wide X WOF (width of fabric) to allow for shrinking during prewashing and distortion when starching.
From the washer, I spread them out on old beach towels and spray starched them and left them overnight to air dry.



This morning I steam ironed them nice and flat and cut 3 strips 1" wide X WOF, and left the 4th strip untrimmed on one side. This will allow for any errors in my seam allowances!



I arranged 4 stacks of strips making sure that each stack had 8 different fabrics.

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I pulled fabrics from my stash last night.

I figured that I can cut ( 2 1/2" strips WOF that would cut down to two 1" x WOF strips after they were washed and starch pressed.. Then I would sew those (16) 1" strips into two strip sets of 8. (Actually to make it a bit easier to sew the strip sets, I would cut them in half so they were only 21" long rather than WOF). Press all the seams open. They should be 4 1/2" wide at this point. Then subcut the strip set into 3 1/2" wide cuts. That makes 12 little reels!!

Doing it like this would only take one evening or less to make 12 reels! Three evenings repeating this process makes 36! Then add in 5 extras made from scraps and you are DONE!!

Well, unless you have signed up for the border reels also! Hint hint!! It only would add a few more evenings to make a second batch!!

HTH!

I want in on this exchange!!!

Looks like it's turning into a mob!

For what it is worth, we have got 14 members of this little gang in under 36 hours

Rita, spray starch is fine, if you want it stiffer repeat the spray/dry/iron process a couple of times.

Any fabrics you like are welcome - I think that it would be amusing to have some pumkins in the orange set Just keep to your colour palette within reason, one of my fabrics has green leaves with pink flowers, but hey, the threads have got tangled at the bottom of the sewing basket, who knows where they have been and what they have got mixed up with, right

Oh ! Too many choices ! Red ! Red! I think I'll do red! Will wash and set color
to the best of my ability..pinky swear ! Just one set of 41...will do the job!

Thanks Margo. Yes I have some synthrapol so I will use it when I am pre-washing the fabrics. Rita.

Reetzbobeetz wrote:
Rita, starch just makes the fabrics more stable and manageable, and I think that Rosemary will say that spray starch is just fine.
Yes....batiks are harder to hand quilt, but they are also notorious for bleeding, so they should be pre-washed for sure!
Synthrapol helps control the bleed. Read about it here: http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/2127-AA.shtml?lnav=chemicals.html
Check with your local quilt shop for it!

Yes I think I should probably be doing something with HRT patches myself!

Yes I will prewash my fabrics. Yes I will use starch - only light spray starch available here, will that do?

I ordered lots of fabric before Christmas and am still waiting for deliveries from USA so I will just have to wait until Sunday and see.

What is the problem with batiks? Is it that they are harder to hand quilt or is there some other reason?

Rita.

Rosemary,

I like the HRT idea!

Lorna

Reetzbobeetz wrote:
So, don't you just have one of everything? Start from there!

Reetzbobeetz wrote: I guess you might have to go shopping for more!

I bought a charm roll - 10 x 5" x full width strips at Harrogate show, and added in some batik 'blenders' from a jelly roll that I already had. But I also have made some hrt (Half Rectangle triangles) to add some movement to the patch and 'cos I felt like it - I will write up how I did them tomorrow or Friday for the enquiring minds.

just got home and have to go to a funeral first thing tomorrow morning - but will be gettin some starch on the way home - will have to use spray - havn't been able to find liquid in ages - but that too will work
then figure out which fabrics - as i prewash everything that goes into my stash that part shouldn't be a problem
yeahhhhhhhh
lotti